Lilys House

our little yard

We don't have a garden in the true sense of the word, with grass and stuff. It's a small walled yard with house on three sides and a lovely stone wall on the other. Picture opportunities are a bit limited in such a small place, hence a lot of photos of the washing line and wooden seat!
We do have huge double doors that open out fully from the playroom ( I mean sewing room...got that girls ;) so its a really nice extension out into the air from there. We are spending so much time at this end of the house, I've almost forgotten what the front room looks like.
I'd love to have a huge lawn and be able to grow other things than container plants but I love our little yard. There are lots of tubs with scented geraniums and cacti (out all winter down here and surviving well), more geraniums and even more geraniums. I really like geraniums :)
It's a suntrap and you'll often find me out on the bench coffee in hand, grabbing a few minutes before re- entering the fray. In the evening it's positively Mediterannean, but that may be just my romantic notion... Can't complain at all.

this bright blue piece of plastic was on my hitlist but seems to have come into it's own over the weekend. I'm just going to have to live with it..

see, I did finish it!

......and of course there's no mowing or weeding which means more time for alfresco dining!

first one of the year

Dad overdid the self lighting briquettes ............we were so popular with the neighbours.

check out that clean grill

balmy and peaceful, I dozed off with the dog outside and woke to find I'd been abandoned - Dad and Nick happily crashed out and watching TV....on such a gorgeous night ....come on guys !

airing cupboard clear out

From this....new storage on the landing by the way...


to this...the entire contents of the airing cupboard relocated. A mere snippet shown here I hasten to add..

the airing cupboard now contains fabric and wool and all sorts of nice stuff, forgot to take a 'pre' photo but I can assure you it wasn't pretty...The cupboard that contained the fabric is now cleared (erm, not quite but it's getting there) to make way for the girls art supplies, Maddies wooden bricks and assorted other good things they've been unable to get at.

and look what I found.......fantastic vintage sheets (thanks Annabel!)...cool and crisp for the summer. If I can bear to take the wrapping off that is...

Now I've 'only' got this...

to fold and put away....(ironing doesn't even come into the equation)

I'm just chasing my tail here.........more in the machine and on the line too. Those piles look small but don't be fooled. I can cram a ton of laundry in that basket.

Help.

quiet day

Jellies with a raspberry middle layer and drinks outside on the bench.....lovely and warm in the sun, making the most of it.

Back to work tonight after a little break and I feel throaty and a bit coldy....going to have to think positive and just ride it out .... there is no way I'm letting this one get a grip....

a Spring in our step

(just pretend you haven't seen the dangling flex from the wall. 6 months on and I still can't find a wall light I like that's in stock ..........)

a favourite game - 'gymnastics' and 'dance school', actually I think this may have been 'swimming lessons' going by Maddies diving hands...

I could watch the girls playing together like this all day. It's not always the case. You would think with a 7.5 year age gap there would be no bickering......wrong, very wrong...as I'm starting to gather now they are at home together all day. They are lovely girls and are devoted to each other as you can see in the bottom pic but wow does it get noisy at times. At least they won't be teenagers together - I'll cling on to that !

Mowzer joins in the fun ..........this cat is the less stable shall we say, of the two....(it's a very high wall but he made it, just)

sun and showers

Pretty much sums up the weekend. Bizarre weather......from this ..

(new togs courtesy of Girly Style Wardrobe again. As you can tell I'm in love with this book..)

and this..

(note swimming costume over a thick dress...she looked like superman with bulging pecs. I just let her get on with it ;)

to this....

in the space of about half an hour . And back and forth and back and forth all weekend.

Those kids were so excited and stood outside collecting all the 'snow', which is now in lumps in the freezer ...... this may seem like small fry to any of you coming out of a severe winter, but to us snow starved individuals it was like Christmas so to speak. Very sad I know....
If you click on the pic you will also notice Maddie taking advantage of my distraction and helping herself to the scrapings out of the rice pudding tin... No sharp edges involved you'll be pleased to know.

There has been quite a bit more 'making' going on too, nothing fantastically exciting, just some practical stuff. You know, the more 'boring' sewing. Will take some pics and show soon. Don't die of anticipation ;)

I've been playing with my new 'toy'. Well not really new..It was given to me (I mean loaned, Dad..) back last summer and to be honest I was too scared of it to try it. How very silly I was. This thing ROCKS baby !!
There was a learning curve to be sure, one I have not completed yet - but still, the potential...my sewing life has suddenly become a lot easier and that can't be bad. Can you spot it, on the end of the table ?

I know it drives Nick bonkers but I love the fact that the kitchen table has hair straighteners (Lilys new toy...at 10...I ask you..bought with birthday money so don't blame me) toys, overlocker, sewing stuff etc. It's us. We do manage to be tidy too but it was Sunday morning, so don't judge to harshly !

The childrens Easter break is upon us and that means, most importantly, no school run, breakfast and dressing panic, shouting and stressing to get out of the house. Two weeks of pure heaven.

just popping in.....

to say a *massive* thankyou for all the lovely comments wishing me well (and regarding Lilys crocheting...she was a bit overwhelmed when she read them!).

It's very kind of you all, seems like having a bad back is something you can all relate to! Sorry I've not responded individually - I do like to but sitting here is not very comfortable.

It's getting better, there is no doubt about it, just keeping up the ibuprofen and getting on with it really...like you do ;) Went in to work last night which wasn't the best idea seeing as most of my work involves bending, lifting or kneeling on the floor! Was told in no uncertain terms to stay off until it's better...we are a very small team and with the current budget and staffing issues there is NO room for sickness...still can't be helped. We all unfortunately feel guilty if we have to take time off.

Anyway - I'll quickly post a few pics from the weekend. Big sister was a very big help, keeping the little one amused. And she went down for a 2.5 hr nap (and we all collapsed in a heap, losing that hour obviously affecting us all ! )

blue

I've been noticing a lot of it round here lately......must be going through a blue phase. My absolute favourite colour ever, is the colour of the sky on a summers night a couple of notches off totally dark. That deep but stunning , velvety blue. I can't explain it...I'm sure you know the blue I mean.
I am alone amongst my immediate family with my love of blue. We are a green family, my Mum and Grandmother being earthy types, lovers of all those tones. Me too, but I always come back to blue.

bedside

my favourites

yet another thrifty beadspread :)

in the garden waiting for play...when it stops raining....

basking

We are revelling in these little shafts of sun this morning.......it's still freezing outside but we are all cosy within. Two sick girlies (chicken pox and probably pre chicken pox fever)......one tired Mum....looks like not a lot going on round here today apart from gentle play, lots of coffee and sitting in the sunniest spot we can find.